Field of the Invention
This document pertains generally, but not by way of limitation, to the determination of the moment of inertia (MOI) for a work piece and in some instances to the determination of the center of mass/center of gravity (CG) or products of inertia (POI) for the work piece.
Description of the Related Art
Determining the moment of inertia (MOI) and products of inertia (POI) of the discrete parts of an overall assembly (a work piece) is relatively straightforward with MOI and POI calculations including knowledge of the dimensions of the part (e.g., shape and size) and its mass. Determination of the MOI and POI is much more complex when parts are incorporated as a whole into an overall assembly. The overall assembly has a variety of parts, in varying orientations, constructed with different materials that are coupled together. The assembly is difficult to model because of the various orientations of the parts and the varying materials. The determination of MOI and POI for the assembly is critical for the control of assemblies including launch vehicles and payloads (satellites and the like). For instance, the MOI and POI is accurately identified to ensure precise control including, but not limited to, control of pitch, yaw, roll and the like during launch, delivery and operation of a payload or the flight dynamics of any air or space vehicle.